Rotary engine.



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No. 679,936. Patented Aug. 6,'l9ol.

- H. A. Benson.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application llled Oct. 5, 1900.7 (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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H. A. BENSON..

` ROTARY-Mama (Applieacim md oct. 5, 1900.1 (N0 Model.)

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Unteren 'STATES PATENT Carien.

IIEZEKIAII A. BENSON, OF .BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT;

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,936,` dated August 6, 1901. Application filed October 5, 19,00. Serial No. 32,138. (No model.)

To all wil/0m. it may concern:

Be it known that I, I-IEZEKIAH A. BENSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Rotary Engine, of which the following is a speci` cation.

My invention has for its object to generally simplify and improve the construction of this class of engines, my novelengine being very compact and very powerful, light in weight, and inexpensive `to build, easily reversible, adapted to stop and start anywhere, there being no dead-point, there being practically no wear or friction, as the motionof every part without exception is rotary, and, most important of all, back pressure being wholly prevented. In order to accomplish these results, I have devised an engine which I will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming part of Athis specification, and using reference characters to designate the several parts.

Figure lis a front elevation of my novel engine, the controlling-lever being in the stationary position; Fig. 2, a corresponding rear elevation; Fig. 3, a side elevation as seen from the left in Fig. 1 and from the 'right in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a horizontal section on the line 4 4, the parts being stationary; Fig. 4, a detail sectional view of one ot the auxiliary valves and the corresponding sleeve on the line 4a 4 in Fig. 4; Fig. 5, a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 in Figs. 3 and 4; Fig. 6, a vertical section on the line 6 6 in Figs. 3 and 4, showing one piston and the corresponding auxiliary disk in the stationary position; Fig. 7, a similar view showing the piston and the auxiliary disk in the operative position and moving forward; Fig. 8, a detail sectional view corresponding with Fig. 5, but showing in full lines the main valve in position to produce forward movement and in dotted lines the main valve in position to produce reverse movement; and Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view on the line D 9 in Fig. 4, the position of the parts, however, corresponding with Fig.7.

The body of the engine may of course be made in any preferred manner. I have illustrated a body comprising a central casting A and two end castings, (indicated, respectively, by B and C,) said castings being secured together by bolts 7G. Within the body are cylinders-for example, two, three, or even more cylinder-sand corresponding pistons and auxiliary parts. In the presentinstancelhave shown an engine embodying two cylinders and pistons and the corresponding auxiliary parts, the cylinders being designated, respectively, by 20 and 21.

22 and 23 denote auxiliary cylindrical chambers contiguous to the cylinders. Each cylinder and the corresponding auxiliary chamber communicate by means of an opening 24, and each cylinder and its corresponding auxiliary chamber are separated from the other cylinder and its corresponding auxiliary chamber by means of a wall or plate 25, which may be made in one or more parts, as preferred, and may be secured in place in any suitable manner. In the present instance I have shown wall 25 as comprising two plates, each having a straight side engaging the other plate, as at 26, (see dotted lines, Figs. 6 and 7,) for convenience in retaining the plates in place.

27 and 28 denote pistons in cylinders 20 and 21, respectively. The pistons are of less diameter than the cylinders, but each piston is providedwith a radial vfloat or sweep 29, which as the piston revolves closely engages the inner periphery of the cylinder, the tloats being shown as placed opposite to each other. The pistons are rigidly secured to a drivingshaft D, the inner end of said shaft (see dotted lines, Fig. 4) being shown as stepped in casting B, said shaft extending outward through wall 25 and casting C and through a stuffing-box 30, which is bolted to casting C.

3l and 32 denote auxiliary disks in auxiliary chambers 22 and 23, respectively. The auxiliary disks are of the same diameter as the pistons, it closely in the auxiliary chambers, and extend through openings 24 and engage the peripheries of the pistons closely, thereby preventing back passage of steam, as will be more fully explained. Each auxiliary disk is provided in its periphery with a recess 33, which is of suitable size to receive thecorresponding float 29 and give clearance thereto, but which will not permit the passage ot' steam between the piston and the auxiliary disk.

34 denotes an auxiliary shaft, to which the IOO . trolling-lever 54. Auxiliary valves 47 and 48 are carried, respectively, by shafts 62 and 63',v

auxiliary disks are rigidly secured. This shaft may'be'stepped'in casting B (nots'how'n` in the drawings)`and passes outward through"` wall 25 and casting C and through a stuffingbox 30, which is bolted to casting C. Motion is communicated from the driving-shaft to the auxiliary shaft by means of a gear-wheel 67 on the driving-shaft, which meshes with a corresponding gear-wheel 68 on the auxiliary shaft.

38 denotes a steam-pipe, and 39 an exhaustpipe, which are shown as connected to a steam-chest-E. Within the steam-chest is a steam-port 40, leading to a'central opening* 4l, within which is the main valve 42.

` 43` and 44 denote ports leading from-opening 4l to openings-45 and 46, respectively. Within openings 45 and 46, which are shown as extending through castings A and Blandinto casting 0are auxiliaryvalves, (denoted, respectively, by 47 and 48,) and outside ofthe auxiliary valves and closely tilling-the'openings are oscillatory sleeves-49` and 50,V the;

functions of which'will presently be fully explained.y

5l denotes an exhaust-port leading from, central opening 4l, intermediatev ports 43and`VV 44. The main valve is carried by ashat't l5.2, which extendsl outward from casting B through a stuffing-box 53 and carries the-con- 63 and the auxiliary valves are caused to rol' tate in time with the pistons, but in the opposite`direction.I ShaftDalso carries anotherv gear-wheel 67, which meshes with a gearwheel 68 on auxiliary shaft 34, wherebyl moiionis communicated from the driving-shaft to the auxiliary shaft-and the auxiliary disks are caused to rotate in time'with the pistons, but in the oppositedirection.

The main valve is'an ordinary two-Way valve. Its construction will be readily understood from, Figs. 4, 5, and Si In the position shown/in Figs. 4 and 52this valvefcuts olf: the passage ot steam into the steam-chest, and

the engineconseqnently remainslstationary. In the position shownin full lines in Fig.` 8 the'controlling-lever has been moved to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7, which places the main valve in apofsition'to permit steam to pass throughport 44 to auxiliary opening 46 and through auxiliary valve 48to thecylinder, the position of the auxiliary valveshand the corresponding? sleeves when the engine is taking steam for forward movement being clearly shown in Fig. 7. The dotted positionof the main valve inFig. Sis

the position of said valve when taking'steam, The construction offorreverse movement. the auxiliary valves and the sleeves willbe `tate within the sleeves: vided with Aan opening d, which is'made large Vinterior thereof. Each auxiliary valve is also provided with aV port 72', adapted to register ywith a port 73 in the body, which leads into lcylinder 2O,l and with a port 74, adapted to register with a port 75 in the body which leads into cylinder 2l. As shown in Fig. 4, the ports 72 and 74 are out of alinement with each other, so that steam passes alternately through them. It will be noted in Fig. 4 that ports 72 and 74 in the auxiliary valves extend in length the entire width of the cylinders, and in Figs. 6 and 7 that in the vengine illustrated, Which'is `a two-cylinder engine, y these ports'have a width approximately one-fourth the circumferenceof the valves themselves. In a three cylinder engine the auxiliary valves would of course be longer and would be provided with a port for each cylinder, and each portn would ha'vea width approximately `one-sixth of the-circumference of the valve.

In a four-cylinder engine the auxiliary valves would havefour ports, andsaid ports would have awidth approximately one-eighth of the circumference ofthe valves; -I have not referred to a one-cylinder engine, although the principle-of my invention is perfectly applicable to a one-cylinder engine having a iiywheel. In a one-cylinder engine the width of the ports `in the auxiliary valves would be approximatelyA half the circumference of the valves themselves. Sleeves 49 and 50 completely till the respective openings 45 and 46, said sleeves being adapted to oscillate within the openings and the auxiliary valves to ro- Eachsleeve is proenough so that no matter what position the sleeves vmay be in ports 43 and 4 4in the steam- `chest will never vbe closed thereby, so that whenever steam passes the mainvalve it is also free to pass into one of the auxiliary valves. Each sleeve is also provided with relatively small openings h andrelatively large openings Ic. The solid metal of the sleeves between the -correspondingopenings h and'tI have for convenience indicated by'g. It should be understoodthat'on'e ofthe openings h and the cor- Iresponding openingA k in each sleeve correspond to the port 73 for cylinder20, and the other openingfh and correspondingopening k kin each sleeve `correspond to the port 74 for cylinder 21. It Iwill be obvious fromthe description already given that the auxiliary valvesand the sleeves correspond in length with'the length `of the space occupied by the Acylindersandthe separating-Walls, the openings in the auxiliary valves and the sleeves correspondingwith the number of cylinders and pistons; In practice openings h and 7c are made' the full length ofthe corresponding ports,I and openings h havea width approxi- IOO mately one-fourth the circumference ofV the sleeves. Sleeves 49 and 50 are carried, respectively, by shafts 55 and 56, which extend outward through hubs 69 on casting B and through stuffing-boxes 53 and carry in the present instance at their outer ends pinions 57. Shafts 52, 55, and 56 and with them the main valve and sleeves 49 and 50 are operated together by means of the controlling lever, any suitable connections being provided between shaft 52 or the controllinglever and the auxiliary shafts. In the present instance I have shown'the auxiliary shafts as operated by means of racks 58, which are pivoted to the controllingllever and engage pinions 57, a spring 59 acting to retain the racks in the engaging position.'

As a means of retaining the controlling-lever in the intermediate or inoperative or in either of its operative positions I have shown the lower end of said lever as made in the form of a segment and provided with notches 60, either of which is adapted to be engaged by a spring-catch 6l.

The operation is as follows: Starting with the parts in the stationary position, as in Figs. l to 6, inclusive, if it is desired that the engine turn forward the controlling-lever is moved toward the right to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, in which position it is locked by the engagement of spring-catch 61 with the right notch 60, as seen in Fig. l, in the segment at the lower end of said lever. This movement of the controlling-lever places the main valve in the position shown in Fig. Sand the sleeves in the position shown in Fig. 7. Steam now passes through port 44 to auxiliary valve 48, thence through port 73 to cylinder 20, in which it acts upon the float 29 of piston 27 and causes said piston and the driving-shaft to rotate. It will be noted that the steam acting upon the iloats develops great power owing to the long leverage, the entire action of the steam owing to the disk shape of the piston itself being at a distance from the pivotal point of the piston. As soon as the piston has been carried around far enough, so that the lioat will have passed the port 73 on the opposite side of the cylinder which leads to the other auxiliary valve, the steam will pass through the other auxiliary valve, in this instance valve 47, thence through port 43 (see Fig. 8) and central opening 4l to the exhaust-port. Should it be desired to reverse the engine, the controllinglever is moved past the inoperative position shown in full lines toward the left, as seen in Fig. l, the elect ot' which is to place the main valve in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8 and to reverse the positions of the sleeves from those shown in Fig. 7- that is to say, when the engine is reversingz'. e., when the pistons are turning backward sleeve 49 will be in the position in which sleeve 50 is shown in Fig. 7 and sleeve 50 will be in the position in which sleeve 49 is shown in said ligure, and the pistons instead of moving in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 7 will move in the reverse direction, steam now entering the cylinder through port 43 and the exhaust now being through auxiliary valve 48, port 44, and the central opening to the exhaust-port.

For the sake of clearness in description I have made no reference in the last paragraph to the entrance of steam into cylinder 2l. In Fig. 9, however, I have shown the position of auxiliary valve 48 and its port 74, which corresponds with cylinder 21 at the instant port 72, corresponding with cylinder 20, is in the position shown in Fig. 7, these ports being of course diametrically opposite to each other, as are the iioats upon the pistons. It will be noted in Figs. 6 and 7 that the position of ports 73 in the bodyis such that the steam is acting upon both floats a portion of the time and that there is no instant ot' time that steam is not acting upon one of the floats, so that the possibility of a dead-point, so called, is eliminated from the engine.

In order that my novel engine and its operation may be clearly understood, I will now trace the passage ot steam from steam-port 40 back through the central opening to exhaust-port 51 when the engine is moving forward and will explain the movements of the parts. The main valve being in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 8, steam passes into opening 46, and thence through opening d in sleeve 50 and holes 7l into auxiliary valve 48, it being understood that the openings d in both of the sleeves are large enough, so that steam will pass freely into the auxiliary valves at all times, there being no position of the sleeves that will cut olf the passage of steam into the auxiliary valves. Turning now to Fig. 7, steam will pass freely through port 72 in auxiliary valve 48, opening h in sleeve 50, and 'the left port 73 into cylinder 20. In this cylinder the passage of steam in one direction will be cut ott through the close engagement of auxiliary disk 3l with piston 27, so that the entire power of the steam will be exerted upon the iioat 29 of piston 27 and will turn said piston in the direction ot' the arrow. As soon as the fioat has made a half-revolution from the left port 73 steam will begin to enter cylinder 21 through the otherport 74 in auxiliary valve 48 and the corresponding opening h in the sleeve, said port 74 being now at the position in which port 72 is shown in Fig. 7, bearing in mind, however, that when port 72 is in the position shown in Fig. 7 port 74 is in the position shown in Fig. 9. fioat in cylinder 20 has made a half-revolution from the point at which the steam commenced to act thereon steam will commence to act upon the other oat 29 in cylinder 2l, both ioats being thus acted upon by steam until the float in cylinder 4.20 passes the right As already stated, after the IOO IIO

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. wallsffg of opening k of thesle'eve;

andJv through` port- '72-in auxiliary valvef't?, thence outward through l`l1`oles'7-1 and i openin g: d'into portltS,l andthence through the'v main valveto'exhaust-port 51; After the steam has commencedte exhaust from cylinder 20 steanv will continue to act on the ioat in cylinder' 2l, ythe action' offthesteamin cylinderv2l not ceasingv untilafter itfhas commenoefdto act aga-inontheoatiin cylinder 20. Itfshould be noted that theV relation betweeniats 29` and recesses-'- 83' iny the vauxiliary `disksisA -of`l vital importance. These recesses lare provided to give perfeetclearance forthie floats; While surei`s Wholly prevented throughthe contact"I ofthe cylinder with the corresponding auxil-v iary'disk. In'lorde-r that it may be perfectly clea'rf Why steam that has passedv the mainvalve can always passthrough'an open'ingd inlone ofthe sleeves and-'into the corresponding auxiliary valve, butr canonly pass intoA the corresponding cylinder whenv the-floattherein hasreached a posit-ion that makesV back pressure impossible, I have illustratedv in Figl.k 9 the position of port 74 in auxiliary valve 4:8 at the `instant port 72`in said valve: isld'e'liveringsteam to cylinder 20. It will be obviousfroni Figs.` 7Vand-`9`in connection withy Fig.- 4 that steam passing port 72 continues through/opening la and port 73 into cylinder' 20 and=from Fig. 9 that steampassing port '74:` canpass noV farther, butA is'- retained byr the It will bek remembered that the auxiliary' valves, the pistons; and theauxili'ary disks rotate irruni-q son with-eachother. Turning again to Figs.v 6 andI 7l, itfwill be apparent that steam'isactiing-upon the iioat ofeach pistonduring nearly three-quarters of the revolution; but` as the'` ports 72and74 in the auxiliary valves andl openingsh in the-sleevesare only about one fourth of thel circumference of said* Valves and-' sleeves steam will enter each cylinder during only approximately one-fourth of the" revolutionofthe cylinder and that during. the remaining portion of the vrevolution until the exhaust commences the steam will bev acting expansively. The left side of Fig. 7 shows the position of a sleeve When the'en-A gineis in useand also a position of the'auxiliary valvey relatively theretowhile `a'cylinder is taking steam, and Fig. 9 shows thesame positionof the sleeve and a position of the auxiliary valve when the corresponding cylinder is noti-taking; steam; Iig-will'` be' oloviev ons; therefore; that theiength ofth-e periods in' Fig; 9, which;v shows the position' of theV a uxiliary valveirelatively to the openings' in the 'sleeve'4 at: the middleofthe v'period during lwhichi the corresponding cylinder is 'nottaking steami While the 'exactsize'of4 thefopenings cin the sleeves lisofV nospecial importance, it will be noted thatsaid openings are made large enough to insure a continuousan'd perfect exhaustthroughian yopenin'glcin'eachL sleeve 'from either of thelcylinders' Wlile'said cylinder is "taking" steam thrffmghi the other sleeve and also-whilestearnl is a'cting:expansively insaidcylinder.' Inother words, the" exhaust;r is always t'reeV while there is* any steam in theicylinder. This'will be'apparent `frointhe rightside of'Fig. 7,vit beingobvious'that: steamisfree' to pass fromlopenin g la in'the'sleeve through saidport`72`i'nto auxiliaryA valve47l and" thence to the exhaust all ofi the timejexceptthe brief periodduring which solidm'etal on opposite sidesofg port 72 iny theauxiliary'valve registers with the `solid metal gon oppositesides'of said opening lc. During 'this'brief periodbf'timethere can be no exhaust from the corresponding' cylinder, Whichis Wholly'unimportant, however, for the reason that during longer pe'- riodoftime that begins before theexhaust is Vclosedand continuesafter theexhaust is open' againno steam can'enterl the cylinder, as'it cannot passVV tliejwallsptv opening lc injthe sleeve, as willibe readily understood from" the positionof theparts'illustratfedin Fig. 9.

I wish itdis'tinctly un'der'stoodithat'l donot limitl the use-'of my'novel' engine to steam ork to'any special motive power. So far asl am aware, the principle of thisengine is radically new. For"convenience in description I have spoken of steanias the motive power. It will beobvious, however', that the' principle of lthis' invention is' adapted to widely-variant uses', asv in stationary and marinev engines generally' and in' pumps, and, furthermore,

that the useof gas'orwater asam'otivev power' iswholly withinthe scopeof In'y invention. I have show/n' the'auxiliary chambers as located aboveth'e cylinders'. Any other arrangelnent may, however, be adopted, ifpreferred.` For example,r the` auxiliary chambers may be' located under the cylindersor at TheA in.

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either side of them, as may be found most convenient in designing engines for special uses.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. Arotary engine comprising a plurality of cylinders in alineme'nt with each other, rotary pistons therein, a main valve, and an auxiliary valve comprising a hollow rotary memger having independent ports for the cyliners.

2. A rotary engine comprising a plurality of cylinders in alinement with each other, rotary pistons therein, a main valve, and auxiliary valves each comprising a hollow rotary member having independent ports for the cylinders, each of said auxiliaryl valves being adapted to control either the supply or the exhaust.

3. A rotary engine comprising a plurality of cylindersin aline'ment with each other, rotary pistons therein, a 'main valve, and auxiliary valves comprising hollow rotary members corresponding in length with the length of the space occupied by the cylinders and having independent ports for the cylinders.

4. A rotary engine comprising a plurality of cylinders in alinement with each other, rotary pistons therein, a main valve, and auxiliary valves comprising hollow rotary members corresponding in length with the length of the space occupied by the cylinders and having independent ports for the cylinders, each port being the full length of its respective cylinder. l 5. A rotary engine comprising a plurality of cylinders in alinement with each other, rotary pistons therein, a main valve, and auxiliary valves comprising hollow rotary members having independent ports for` the. cylinders, and oscillatory sleeves outside of the valve members,said sleeves being adapted to change each valve member from supply to exhaust or from exhaust to supply.

G. A rotary engine comprising a plurality of cylinders in alinement with each other, rotary pistons therein, a main valve, and auxiliary valves comprising hollow rotary members having independent 4ports for the cylinders, oscillatory sleeves outside of the valve members, said sleeves being adapted to change each valve member from supply to exhaust or from exhaust to supply, and reversing-gear for oscillating said sleeves.

7. A rotary engine comprising a plurality of cylinders in alinementwith each other, rotary pistons therein, a main valve, and auxiliary valves comprising hollow rotary members having independent ports for the cylinders, sleeves 49 and 50 surrounding said valve members, shafts 55 and 56 for operating said sleeves, and means whereby said shafts and the sleeves and the main valve may be oscillated in unison.

8. A rotary engine comprising a plurality of cylinders in alinement with each other, rotary pistons therein, a main valve, and auxiliary valves comprising hollow rotary members having independent ports for the cylinders, sleeves 49 and 50 surrounding said valve members, shafts 55 and 56 for operating said sleeves, and means whereby said shafts and the sleeves and the main valve may be oscillated in unison, said means comprising pinions on the ends of the sleeve-shafts, a lever for operating the main valve, and toothed racks carried by said lever and engaging said pinions.

9. A rotary engine comprising a plurality of cylinders in alinement with each other, rotary pistons therein, a main valve, and auxiliary valves comprising hollow rotary members having independent ports for the cylinders, sleeves 49 and 50 surrounding said valve members, shafts 55 and 56 for operating said sleeves, and means whereby said shafts and the sleeves and the main valve may be oscillated in unison, said means comprising pinions on the ends of the sleeve-shafts, a lever for operating the main valve, and toothed racks carried by said lever and engaging said pinions, one end of said lever having three notches 60, a spring-catch being provided to engage either of said notches to hold the lever and the main valve and the auxiliary-valve sleeves in either one of three positions.

l0. The auxiliary valve 47 consisting of a cylinder closed at each end and having a circumferential external groove near one end, a plurality of holes leading from said groove to the interior of the valve, and a plurality of elongated ports at dierent distances from said grooved end.

1l. The auxiliary valve 47 consisting of a cylinder closed at each end and having a circumferential external groove near one end, a plurality of holes leading from said groove to the interior of the valve, and a plurality of elongated ports at differentdistances from said grooved end, said ports being formed out of alinement with each other.

12. In an engine of the character described the combination with rotary pistons having radial oats diametrically opposite to each other and auxiliary disks of uniform diameter with the pistons and provided with recesses which give clearance to the floats, of

ya main valve, auxiliary valves having receiving holes and ports opposite to each other whereby steam is supplied to the cylinders alternately and reversing-sleeves which inclose the auxiliary valves and are operated in unison with the main valve.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HEZEKIAH A. BENSON. Witnesses:

A. M. Woosrnn, S. W. ATEERTON. 

